New England Aquarium’s aerial team spots more than 1,000 marine animals off Massachusetts

BOSTON — The New England Aquarium’s aerial survey team recently spotted more than 1,000 marine animals in the water off Massachusetts during a recent excursion in the Atlantic Ocean.

A team from the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life took off from New Bedford Airport and flew about 130 miles southeast of Cape Cod to the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument on July 24, according to the Aquarium.

In total, aerial spotters documented seven endangered fin whales, one endangered sperm whale, one humpback whale, two minke whales, 781 common dolphins, 108 Risso’s dolphins, 55 pilot whales, 30 bottlenose dolphins, 20 striped dolphins, and 22 devil rays.

“Seeing an endangered fin whale and its calf is a rare occurrence,” Kate Laemmle, an assistant research scientist who was aboard the plane during the survey, said in a statement. “Each survey speaks to the remarkable array of biodiversity that we see in the Monument. It’s a perspective that we as research scientists are so fortunate to see, and it reinforces why it is so essential to the health of our ocean and planet to protect these unique habitats and the endangered species that depend on them.”

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The Monument, about 5,000 square miles in size, is a protected habitat with four underwater seamounts, or underwater mountains, and three deep-sea canyons, where a vast array of species feed.

According to the Aquarium, the steep slopes of the canyons create upwelling, a process that leads to an ecologically productive area. As a result, the Monument is a hotspot of biodiversity on the edge of the continental shelf where the shallow seas off New England drop sharply into the deep waters of the northwestern Atlantic.

The Monument was created in 2016. Since then, aerial surveys have documented an array of marine life, including the blue whale, the largest animal on Earth.

“A healthy ocean relies on flourishing marine animals and habitats, and areas like the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument protect marine ecosystems, helping ensure a vital and vibrant ocean for future generations—both for the environment and the blue economy,” New England Aquarium President and CEO Vikki N. Spruill said in a statement.

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